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You read that correctly âÂ Congress just voted to end the federal governmentâs war on medical marijuana!

During a debate regarding a Justice Department funding bill, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), a longtime MPP ally, offered an amendment intended to block DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries. It passed by a surprisingly wide margin âÂ 219-189. The amendment will not become law until it is signed by the president, but weâre well on our way.

MPP played a key role in building support for this measure, and we couldnât have done it without our supporters.

We have hadÂ a lot of victoriesÂ since MPP was founded in 1995, but this is one of the biggest â not just in the organizationâs history, but in the history of the marijuana policy reform movement.

Rep. Rohrabacher with MPP’s Rob Kampia and Dan Riffle

We worked with Congressman Rohrabacher and former Congressman Maurice Hinchey on this amendment for more than a decade, and our lobbying presence in Congress has never been stronger. This year alone, we met with staffers from more than 100 congressional offices, as well as dozens of members in person. Â With this victory, even more doors will be open to us in the future.

The Marijuana Policy Project launched two hard-hitting television ads Thursday that urge New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and State Senate Majority Co-Leader Dean Skelos to support the Compassionate Care Act, a bill that would allow seriously ill people to access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it.

The New York State Assembly approved the Compassionate Care ActTuesday (91-34) for the fifth time since 2007.Â Gov. Cuomo has not expressed support for the measure, and in previous years, Senate leaders have not allowed it to receive a vote on the Senate floor.

Gov. Mark Dayton has signed SB 2470, making Minnesota the 22ndÂ state with a compassionate medical marijuana law. While the new law contains unnecessary restrictions, it will bring needed relief to some very deserving patients and their families.

Passage of this law was never certain, and, at times, political pundits dismissed the idea that the legislature could agree to any kind of program; but patients, families, and advocates prevailed.

While lawmakers had the pleasure of actually casting the votes, they would not have been in a position to do so without the tireless work of all the advocates, patients, and their families. Â We look forward to continuing working with Minnesotans to protect all the sick and suffering who can benefit from the medical use of marijuana.

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol launched a signature drive Tuesday in support of a 2016 ballot measure that would end marijuana prohibition in Nevada. State Sen. Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) and former Nevada Republican Senate Caucus Executive Director Joe Brezny were the first to sign the petition at a news conference in Sen. Segerblom’s law office.

The initiative would make private possession of up to one ounce of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older. It would establish a tightly regulated system of licensed marijuana retail stores, licensed cultivation facilities, licensed manufacturing facilities, licensed testing facilities, and licensed distributors. It also establishes a 15% excise tax on wholesale transactions and directs all tax revenue from the tax to be spent on education.

In order to qualify for the 2016 ballot, the campaign must submit more than 100K valid signatures by Nov. 11, 2014.

Thursday, the Louisiana Senate overwhelmingly approved HB 681 â modest marijuana policy reform â with a vote of 30-7. The House previously approved the legislation in a near-unanimous vote, 92-1!

HB 681Â would make positive, albeit modest, reforms to the way Louisiana treats a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge for someone who is on parole. Currently, acquiring a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge while on parole automatically results in parole revocation.Â If signed by Gov. Jindal, this legislation will give judges discretion to penalize parolees charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession with administrative sanctions instead of outright revocation.

While this is a small step towards sensible marijuana policies, it is at least a step in the right direction.

North Carolina Rep. Kelly Alexander (D-Mecklenberg) has introduced legislation to put a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana on Novemberâs ballot. If enacted, qualified medical marijuana patients and their caregivers would no longer be subject to arrest and prosecution for using marijuana under a doctorâs order.Â HB 1161Â âÂ the North Carolina Medical Cannabis ActÂ â would also set up a âregulated medical cannabis supply systemâ so that patients can safely access their medicine.

Rep. Alexander has previously introduced variations of this bill into the legislature; however, they have been either ignored orÂ rudely killed, despite overwhelming public support for medical marijuana. Because the North Carolina Medical Cannabis Act would amend the stateâs constitution, it must get a three-fifths vote in both chambers before it can be placed on Novemberâs ballot. If you are a North Carolina resident,Â ask your lawmakers to support HB 1161 today.

On May 16, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed a limited medical marijuana bill into law.Â SB 2531Â proposes creating a four-year study on the benefits of cannabidiol, often referred to as âCBD,â a non-psychoactive component of marijuana. Unfortunately, the many limitations placed on the bill by lawmakers mean it is unlikely to result in relief for seriously ill patients in the state. MPP will not be counting Tennessee as a âmedical marijuana state.â

The law unrealistically depends on the Drug Enforcement Administration authorizing the cultivation of marijuana within Tennessee for study. The DEA has maintained a monopoly on the cultivation of marijuana for research in Mississippi, and has steadfastly refused to allow other producers in the past 50 years. Even if it werenât for that problem, laws that limit patient access to CBDÂ leave most seriously ill patients behind. For a more detailed look at the bill and its many limitations,Â click here.

Under the bill, Vanderbilt University would conduct the study and Tennessee Tech would theoretically grow marijuana. As inÂ Maryland, we hope Tennessee will move beyond its ineffective medical marijuana law and quickly pass a workable law that will help seriously ill patients in Tennessee.

Even before the first medical marijuana ID card has been issued, both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly have voted to expand the stateâs medical marijuana law to include more suffering patients. Earlier today, the House votedÂ 98-18Â to allow both adults and minors with seizure disorders to qualify for medical cannabis.

Illinoisâ medical marijuana law, which was signed into law last August, is one of only three to leave behind seriously ill minors. The House amended SB 2636 to also allow the health department to develop rules allowing other seriously ill minors to qualify. The bill now heads to the Senate for concurrence.

Thousands of New Yorkers continue to suffer needlessly because they cannot safely access medical marijuana, including children enduring hundreds of debilitating seizures daily. Get to know some of these children by watchingÂ this videoÂ produced by our allies at âNY Parents for Legalizing MMJ.â

The Compassionate Care Act would provide safe, legal access to medical marijuana for thousands of patients.Â An overwhelming 88% of New YorkersÂ support allowing medical marijuana.

TheÂ National Cannabis Industry Association isÂ launchingÂ itsÂ first national conference, TheÂ Cannabis Business Summit, June 24-25 inÂ Denver, Colorado. The summit will offerÂ cannabis business leaders a national stageÂ on whichÂ toÂ discuss theÂ best practices and businessÂ developments from around the industry. TheÂ summit will include more than 35 sessions,Â more than 800 attendees, and an exhibitionÂ floor featuring more than 30 leadingÂ cannabis businesses over the course of twoÂ days. Several topic-oriented tracks willÂ give attendees the opportunity to focus onÂ their areas of expertise. ConferenceÂ highlights and topics covered will include:

Â Latest state and federal policyÂ developments

Best practices in cultivation, retail, andÂ infused products

Latest developments in banking andÂ taxation

Securing investment for cannabisÂ businesses

Streamlining your business withÂ technology

Security, compliance, and safety forÂ you and your customers

Integrating sustainability into yourÂ business plan

Risk management and industryÂ insurance

Responsible and effective marketing

Philanthropy and communityÂ engagement

Marijuana Policy Project Executive DirectorÂ Rob Kampia will also be speaking at the event!

NCIAâs Cannabis Business Summit will be heldÂ at the Colorado Convention Center inÂ downtown Denver. Along with theÂ educational sessions and an exhibitorÂ showcase, the event will also include aÂ fundraising reception to support NCIAâs workÂ advancing the policy goals of the responsibleÂ cannabis industry. Visit theÂ conference website online, and registerÂ atÂ http://www.cannabisbusinesssummit.com.

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The opinions expressed by our viewers and posters do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Marijuana Policy Project. These views are those of their individual authors alone. MPP does not condone or support the illegal use of marijuana. We do encourage open and frank discussion, but if a comment has been posted that is in some way significantly inappropriate, please email us at [email protected] to report it. Thank you, and we're looking forward to what you think!

"Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care. ... It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in light of the evidence in this record."
DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young, Ruling in the matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition, September 6, 1988